Study Links Enlarged Breast Tissue in Women to Migraine, Neck Pain and Sleep Apnea - Video

Women with macromastia, or unusually enlarged breast tissue, may be more likely to experience chronic migraine, neck pain, obstructive sleep apnea and cervical radiculopathy, according to a new study. The findings suggest that macromastia may be associated with health problems extending beyond physical discomfort.

Published in Headache, the study analysed electronic health records of 687 women treated at headache and neurology clinics affiliated with Stanford Medical Center between 2017 and 2024. The group included 347 women with macromastia and 340 without the condition.

After accounting for factors including age, body mass index, depression and anxiety, women with macromastia were about 40% more likely to have chronic migraine and twice as likely to experience neck pain compared with women without macromastia. They were also about 50% more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea and more than twice as likely to have cervical radiculopathy, a condition caused by irritation or compression of nerves in the neck.

People with macromastia commonly report headaches, neck and back pain, and shoulder discomfort. Some seek breast reduction surgery to relieve these symptoms. In the study, however, neck pain was the only condition significantly associated with a greater likelihood of undergoing breast reduction surgery.

Researchers said enlarged breast tissue may contribute to mechanical strain or other factors that affect the neck, spine, and sleep-related breathing, but the study did not establish how these conditions may be connected.

The findings are based on a review of existing medical records and show associations rather than cause and effect. The study also involved patients from a specific clinical setting, which may limit how broadly the findings apply.

Further research is needed to understand whether treating macromastia, including through breast reduction, can improve migraine, neck pain, sleep apnea or other neurological symptoms and whether these conditions share underlying mechanisms.

REFERENCE: Kristyn Pocock, et al.; Patterns of Head and Neck Pain and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Women with Macromastia: A Cross-Sectional Analysis; Headache The Journal of Head and Face Pain; DOI: 10.1111/head.70226